This document outlines the syllabus for a Physics exam, including the structure and content of the exam. It covers the following topics in Physics: measurements and experimentation, motion in one dimension, laws of motion, fluids, heat and energy, light, sound, electricity and magnetism. It also describes the internal assessment of practical work, which involves 12 experiments that students will complete and record observations for. The experiments cover topics like using Vernier callipers, the simple pendulum, density calculations, mirrors, series and parallel circuits.

1. 1
SCIENCE (52)
PHYSICS
SCIENCE Paper - 1
CLASS IX
There will be one paper of two hours duration
carrying 80 marks and Internal Assessment of
practical work carrying 20 marks.
The paper will be divided into two sections,
Section I (40 marks) and Section II (40 marks).
Section I (compulsory) will contain short answer
questions on the entire syllabus.
Section II will contain six questions. Candidates
will be required to answer any four of these six
questions.
Note: Unless otherwise specified, only SI Units are
to be used while teaching and learning, as well as
for answering questions.
1. Measurements and Experimentation
(i) International System of Units, the required
SI units with correct symbols are given
at the end of this syllabus. Other
commonly used system of units - fps and
cgs.
(ii) Simple pendulum
Simple pendulum: time period, frequency,
graph of length l versus T2
only; slope of
the graph. Formula T=2.π. g
l [no
derivation]. Only simple numerical
problems.
2. Motion in One Dimension
Scalar and vector quantities, distance, speed,
velocity, acceleration; equations of uniformly
accelerated motion without derivations.
Examples of Scalar and vector quantities only,
rest and motion in one dimension; distance and
displacement; speed and velocity; acceleration
and retardation [Non-uniform acceleration
excluded].
Equations to be learned: v = u + at;
S = ut + ½at2;
S = ½(u+v)t; v2
= u2
+ 2aS.
[Equation for Sn
th
is not included].
Simple numerical problems.
3. Laws of Motion
(i) Contact and non-contact forces; cgs & SI
units.
Examples of contact forces (frictional
force, normal reaction force, tension force
as applied through strings and force
exerted during collision) and non-contact
forces (gravitational, electric and
magnetic). General properties of non-
contact forces. cgs and SI units of force
and their relation with Gravitational units.
(ii) Newton’s First Law of Motion (qualitative
discussion) introduction of the idea of
inertia, mass and force.
Newton's first law; statement and
qualitative discussion; definitions of inertia
and force from first law, examples of
inertia as illustration of first law. (Inertial
mass not included).
(iii)Newton’s Second Law of Motion
(including F=ma); weight and mass.
Detailed study of the second law. Linear
momentum, p = mv; change in momentum
∆p = ∆(mv) = m∆v for mass remaining
constant, rate of change of momentum;
∆ p/∆ t = m∆v /∆t = ma or
}
ma
=
t
)
u
-
v
(
m
=
t
mu
-
mv
=
t
p
-
p
{ 1
2
;
Simple numerical problems combining
F = ∆p /∆t = ma and equations of motion.
Units of force - only cgs and SI.
(iv) Newton’s Third Law of Motion
(qualitative discussion only); simple
examples.
Statement with qualitative discussion;
examples of action - reaction pairs, (FBA
and FAB); action and reaction always act
on different bodies.
(v) Gravitation
Universal Law of Gravitation. (Statement
and equation) and its importance. Gravity,

2. 2
acceleration due to gravity, free fall.
Weight and mass, Weight as force of
gravity comparison of mass and weight;
gravitational units of force, (Simple
numerical problems), (problems on
variation of gravity excluded)
4. Fluids
(i) Change of pressure with depth (including
the formula p=hρg); Transmission of
pressure in liquids; atmospheric pressure.
Thrust and Pressure and their units;
pressure exerted by a liquid column p =
hρg; simple daily life examples, (i)
broadness of the base of a dam, (ii) Diver’s
suit etc. some consequences of p = hρg;
transmission of pressure in liquids;
Pascal's law; atmospheric pressure;
common manifestation and consequences.
Variations of pressure with altitude,
(qualitative only); applications such as
weather forecasting and altimeter. (Simple
numerical problems including Pascal’s
law)
(ii) Buoyancy, Archimedes’ Principle;
floatation; relationship with density;
relative density; determination of relative
density of a solid using water only.
Buoyancy, upthrust (FB); definition;
different cases, FB>, = or < weight W of
the body immersed; characteristic
properties of upthrust; Archimedes’
principle; explanation of cases where
bodies with density ρ >, = or < the density
ρ' of the fluid in which it is immersed.
Relative Density (RD) and Archimedes’
principle, determination of RD of a solid
denser than water using water and RD of
liquid. Floatation: principle of floatation;
relation between the density of a floating
body, density of the liquid in which it is
floating and the fraction of volume of the
body immersed; (ρ1/ρ2 = V2/V1); apparent
weight of floating object; application to
ship, submarine, iceberg, balloons, etc.
Simple numerical problems involving
Archimedes’ principle, buoyancy and
floatation.
5. Heat and Energy
(i) Concepts of heat and temperature.
Heat as energy, SI unit – joule,
1 cal = 4.186 J exactly.
(ii) Anomalous expansion of water
Graphs showing variation of volume and
density of water with temperature in the 0
to 10 0
C range. Hope’s experiment and
consequences of Anomalous expansion.
(iii) Global warming and Green House effect.
Scientific definitions of the above.
6. Light
(i) Reflection of light; images formed by a
pair of parallel and perpendicular plane
mirrors;
Laws of reflection; experimental
verification; characteristics of images
formed in a pair of mirrors, (a) parallel
and (b) perpendicular to each other; uses
of plane mirrors.
(ii) Spherical mirrors; characteristics of image
formed by these mirrors. Uses of concave
and convex mirrors. (Only simple direct
ray diagrams are required).
Brief introduction to spherical mirrors -
concave and convex mirrors, centre and
radius of curvature, pole and principal
axis, focus and focal length; location of
images from ray diagram for various
positions of a small linear object on the
principal axis of concave and convex
mirrors; characteristics of images.
Uses of spherical mirrors.
Scale drawing or graphical representation
of ray diagrams not required.
7. Sound
(i) Nature of Sound waves. Requirement of a
medium for sound waves to travel;
propagation and speed in different media;
comparison with speed of light.
Sound propagation, terms – frequency (f),
wavelength (λ), velocity (V), relation V = fλ.
(Simple numerical problems) effect of
different factors on the speed of sound;
comparison of speed of sound with speed of
light; consequences of the large difference
in these speeds in air; thunder and
lightning.

3. 3
(ii) Infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic frequencies
and their applications.
Elementary ideas and simple applications
only. Difference between ultrasonic and
supersonic.
8. Electricity and Magnetism
(i) Simple electric circuit using an electric cell
and a bulb to introduce the idea of current
(including its relationship to charge);
potential difference; insulators and
conductors; closed and open circuits;
direction of current (electron flow and
conventional)
Current Electricity: brief introduction of
sources of direct current - cells,
accumulators (construction, working and
equations excluded); Electric current as
the rate of flow of electric charge
(direction of current - conventional and
electronic), symbols used in circuit
diagrams. Detection of current by
Galvanometer or ammeter (functioning of
the meters not to be introduced). Idea of
electric circuit by using cell, key, resistance
wire/resistance box/rheostat, qualitatively.;
elementary idea about work done in
transferring charge through a conductor
wire; potential difference V = W/q.
(No derivation of formula) simple
numerical problems.
Social initiatives: Improving efficiency of
existing technologies and introducing new
eco-friendly technologies. Creating
awareness and building trends of sensitive
use of resources and products, e.g. reduced
use of electricity.
(ii) Induced magnetism, Magnetic field of
earth. Neutral points in magnetic fields.
Magnetism: magnetism induced by bar
magnets on magnetic materials; induction
precedes attraction; lines of magnetic field
and their properties; evidences of existence
of earth’s magnetic field, magnetic
compass. Uniform magnetic field of earth
and non-uniform field of a bar magnet
placed along magnetic north-south; neutral
point; properties of magnetic field lines.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT OF
PRACTICAL WORK
Candidates will be asked to carry out experiments
for which instructions are given. The experiments
may be based on topics that are not included in the
syllabus but theoretical knowledge will not be
required. A candidate will be expected to be able to
follow simple instructions, to take suitable readings
and to present these readings in a systematic form.
He/she may be required to exhibit his/her data
graphically. Candidates will be expected to
appreciate and use the concepts of least count,
significant figures and elementary error handling.
A set of 5 to 7 experiments may be designed as
given below or as found most suitable by the
teacher. Students should be encouraged to record
their observations systematically in a neat tabular
form - in columns with column heads including
units or in numbered rows as necessary. The final
result or conclusion may be recorded for each
experiment. Some of the experiments may be
demonstrated (with the help of students) if these
cannot be given to each student as lab experiments.
1. Determine the least count of the Vernier
callipers and measure the length and diameter
of a small cylinder (average of three sets) - may
be a metal rod of length 2 to 3 cm and diameter
1 to 2 cm.
2. Determine the pitch and least count of the
given screw gauge and measure the mean
radius of the given wire, taking three sets of
readings in perpendicular directions.
3. Measure the length, breadth and thickness of a
glass block using a metre rule (each reading
correct to a mm), taking the mean of three
readings in each case. Calculate the volume of
the block in cm3
and m3
. Determine the mass
(not weight) of the block using any convenient
balance in g and kg. Calculate the density of
glass in cgs and SI units using mass and
volume in the respective units. Obtain the
relation between the two density units.
4. Measure the volume of a metal bob (the one
used in simple pendulum experiments) from the
readings of water level in a measuring cylinder
using displacement method. Also calculate the
same volume from the radius measured using
Vernier callipers. Comment on the accuracies.

4. 4
5. Obtain five sets of readings of the time taken
for 20 oscillations of a simple pendulum of
lengths about 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110 cm;
calculate the time periods (T) and their squares
(T2
) for each length (l). Plot a graph of l vs. T2
.
Draw the best - fit straight - line graph. Also,
obtain its slope. Calculate the value of g in the
laboratory. It is 4π2
x slope.
6. Take a beaker of water. Place it on the wire
gauze on a tripod stand. Suspend two
thermometers - one with Celsius and the other
with Fahrenheit scale. Record the thermometer
readings at 5 to 7 different temperatures. You
may start with ice-cold water, then allow it to
warm up and then heat it slowly taking
temperature (at regular intervals) as high as
possible. Plot a graph of TF vs. TC. Obtain the
slope. Compare with the theoretical value.
Read the intercept on TF axis for TC = 0.
7. Using a plane mirror strip mounted vertically
on a board, obtain the reflected rays for three
rays incident at different angles. Measure the
angles of incidence and angles of reflection.
See if these angles are equal.
8. Place three object pins at different distances on
a line perpendicular to a plane mirror fixed
vertically on a board. Obtain two reflected rays
(for each pin) fixing two pins in line with the
image. Obtain the positions of the images in
each case by extending backwards (using
dashed lines), the lines representing reflected
rays. Measure the object distances and image
distances in the three cases. Tabulate. Are
they equal? Generalize the result.
9. Obtain the focal length of a concave mirror
(a) by distant object method, focusing its real
image on a screen or wall and (b) by one
needle method removing parallax or focusing
the image of the illuminated wire gauze
attached to a ray box. One could also
improvise with a candle and a screen. Enter
your observations in numbered rows.
10. Connect a suitable dc source (two dry cells or
an acid cell), a key and a bulb (may be a small
one used in torches) in series. Close the circuit
by inserting the plug in the key. Observe the
bulb as it lights up. Now open the circuit,
connect another identical bulb in between the
first bulb and the cell so that the two bulbs are
in series. Close the key. Observe the lighted
bulbs. How does the light from any one bulb
compare with that in the first case when you
had only one bulb? Disconnect the second
bulb. Reconnect the circuit as in the first
experiment. Now connect the second bulb
across the first bulb. The two bulbs are
connected in parallel. Observe the brightness
of any one bulb. Compare with previous
results. Draw your own conclusions regarding
the current and resistance in the three cases.
11. Plot the magnetic field lines of earth (without
any magnet nearby) using a small compass
needle. On another sheet of paper, place a bar
magnet with its axis parallel to the magnetic
lines of the earth, i.e. along the magnetic
meridian or magnetic north south. Plot the
magnetic field in the region around the magnet.
Identify the regions where the combined
magnetic field of the magnet and the earth is (a)
strongest, (b) very weak but not zero, and (c)
zero. Why is neutral point, so called?
12. Using a spring balance obtain the weight
(in N) of a metal ball in air and then completely
immersed in water in a measuring cylinder.
Note the volume of the ball from the volume of
the water displaced. Calculate the upthrust from
the first two weights. Also calculate the mass
and then weight of the water displaced by the
bob M=V.ρ, W=mg). Use the above result to
verify Archimedes principle.